304 NOVITATES ZoOLOGICAIi XXV. I'JlS. 



From the above it is evident that there are three forms which are suffi- 

 ciently well differentiated by size alone, i.e. a northern form, a southern form, 

 and the very big Formosan one to \\hich the single bird from Cochin Cliina 

 appears to be very closely allied. 



(1) Chwptia aeneu aenea. 



Dicrurus aeneits V'ieill.. Xmn: Dirt, dliisl. Xal., nouv. eil., ix. p. oHii (1.SI7). 



Type Lomlity : Bengal. 



The type of aenea is a bird with a wing of 121 mm., i.e. nearer the Northern 

 than the Southern Bengal bird, and the long tail of 121 mm. confirms this 

 diagnosis. We maj' assume therefore that the type came from Northern Bengal, 

 and accordingly fix the type locality as Dacca in Eastern Bengal, whence all 

 the birds are typically the big northern form. 



Habikit. The typical form extends from Mussooiie in the west, through 

 Nepal, Sikldm, Bhutan, Assam and N,E, Bengal, Jlanipur. Chin and Kachin Hills, 

 and Yunnan to Hainan. 



Average measurements (112 birds, : wing, 123'2 mm. ; tail. 119'0 mm. 



(2) C/taptiu aenea iiialayensis. 



Chiintui malayensis A. Hay, Blyth, -J.A.ti.D. x\. p. 294. lS4li. 



Type Locality : Malacca. 



I can trace no difference whatsoever sufficient to enable one to separate 

 the South Indian from the South Burmese and Malayan birds. The difference 

 in «ing average is less than r4 mm, and the tail average exactly 2 mm. 



Hahitut. The range therefore of the form is the wlu>le of India south of the 

 foot-hills of the Himalayas as far as Western Bengal, thence south of Eastern 

 Bengal and Dacca to the Sunderbands, Chittagong, ami the whole of Central 

 and Southern Burma, Siam, and the Malay Peninsula, 



Average measurements of 64 birds: «ing, 118'4 mm.; tail, lir2 mm. 



(3) Chaptia aenea brauniana. 

 Chaptia brauniana Swinhoe, Ihia, 1863. p. 269. 



Type Locality : Formosa. 



The large size of the Formosan birds separates them at a glance from all 

 others except the single Saigon bird already referred to. 



Habitat. Formosa ; more birds are required from Cochin China before it 

 is possible to say to what form the birds belong which are found there. With 

 the Dicruridae the variations in individual size of birds from the same locality 

 are so great that it is, as a rule, unsafe to attempt to cUagnose subspecies on 

 anything under a dozen or so specimens, especially when the differences consist 

 of size alone. 



Average measurements of 14 birds: wing, ISro mm. ; tail, 121 mm. 



